What Is Slice About?
The premise of Slice in 316 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the quiet, isolated town of Kingfisher, the line between the ordinary and the uncanny blurs with each passing day. A lingering legacy of an old sanatorium haunts the streets, where the living and the restless dead share the same sidewalks, cafés, and storefronts. The town’s atmosphere feels perpetually on the edge of a sigh, its pastel‑washed storefronts and overcast skies offering a backdrop that’s both charmingly small‑town and quietly unsettling.
A series of terrifying murders has shattered the town’s fragile calm, targeting the humble pizza delivery drivers who crisscross its winding avenues. The sudden surge of fear ripples through the community, turning everyday routes into shadowed corridors and ordinary conversations into whispered speculation. With the town’s pulse racing, the mystery hangs like a thick fog, inviting anyone with a brave enough heart to step into its murk.
Enter Sadie Sheridan, a tenacious local journalist whose curiosity is matched only by her dedication to uncovering the truth, and Astrid, a former pizza delivery driver returning to the place she once called home. Their partnership bridges the worlds of media and street‑level experience: Sadie relies on investigation and public discourse, while Astrid brings an intimate knowledge of the town’s hidden alleys and the inner workings of the pizza shop that sits at the center of the panic. Together they navigate a maze of rumors, old grudges, and uneasy alliances, each driven by a personal stake in setting things right.
Beyond the immediate danger, Kingfisher is a place where activists argue over the past, business owners cling to fragile livelihoods, and the ever‑present specter of the town’s ghostly heritage adds an otherworldly layer to every conversation. The mood balances dark suspense with a touch of gritty humor, inviting viewers to wonder what secrets lie beneath the town’s familiar façade and how far two determined strangers will go to bring peace back to the streets they both call home.
What Happens in Slice?
The complete story of Slice, from the first scene to the last, in 580 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 8 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Kingfisher, U.S.A. hosts about 40,000 ghosts—mostly victims of the former sanatorium—who live and work beside the living, until Mayor Tracy relocates them to an abandoned neighborhood. Sean Hammerschmidt, Austin Vesely, a Perfect Pizza Base driver, makes a routine delivery to Ghost Town, only to have his throat slit by an unseen killer.
Sadie Sheridan, Rae Gray, a reporter for the Kingfisher Chronicle, attends Tracy’s press conference about Sean’s murder, but is abruptly interrupted by Debbie, Kelli Simpkins, a member of the activist group Justice 40,000. Their leader, Vera Marcus, Marilyn Dodds Frank, leads a protest outside Perfect Pizza—built on the mass grave left by the sanatorium—as her group marches to demolish Halcyon Square and lay the city’s ghosts to rest. Detectives Marsh and Bradley begin investigating and learn that Sean was running drugs for dealer Big Cheese, Y’lan Noel.
Perfect Pizza’s owner Jack, Paul Scheer, insists on keeping the shop open despite his staff’s reluctance. Determined to solve Sean’s murder, his ex-girlfriend and former coworker Astrid, Zazie Beetz, returns to work, rejoining employees Scooter, Heather, and Joe, a ghost. Astrid confronts Big Cheese, who is questioned by the detectives and explains that Perfect Pizza used to be Yummy Yummy Chinese, whose delivery drivers were killed in a previous string of murders. The prime suspect was fellow driver Dax Lycander, a werewolf who had left town, played by Chance the Rapper, Chance the Rapper.
On another delivery through Ghost Town, Scooter’s throat is slit, and Dax is spotted nearby. Vera and Debbie are revealed to be colluding with Tracy, bribing him to blame the murders on the ghosts and rally public support for demolishing Halcyon Square. Sadie visits Perfect Pizza with her own research into the Yummy Yummy murders, while Marsh and Bradley close in on Dax. In a junkyard chase, Dax saves Bradley from being crushed and is arrested, though he maintains his innocence.
Reuniting with Sean’s ghost, Astrid learns he remains a drug addict, and before long she is stabbed from behind and becomes a ghost herself. Dax escapes police custody, and Sadie realizes Vera and her coven are witches; they have inducted Heather as their newest member. Sadie brings the discovery to Marsh, who remains skeptical and insists Dax is guilty. Tracy publicly declares the murders are not the work of ghosts, upsetting the coven’s plans.
Heather sneaks into the basement of Perfect Pizza, and Dax abducts Sadie, urging her to tell the world about his innocence. In the basement, Sadie, Jack, and Joe encounter the ghost of sanatorium janitor Carl, who reveals the building sits atop a portal to hell that the coven intends to use to enslave an army of ghosts. Vera kills Tracy, who is revealed to be a ghost, and the coven reveal themselves as witches.
The town’s frustrated ghosts begin terrorizing the living, while a vengeful Astrid kills most of the coven. Dax is hesitant to help Astrid stop Vera, but Bradley changes his mind. The witches prepare to access the portal; Debbie enters Perfect Pizza to confront Jack, who waits. He blows up the restaurant, hoping to halt the coven, but the explosion opens the portal instead. With Sadie watching, Astrid attacks the witches but is overpowered, and Dax arrives in werewolf form to intervene. Marsh shoots Vera dead, and Bradley arrests Heather as the portal closes.
Sadie is promoted to television news anchor, while Jack—now a ghost—reopens a new pizza restaurant with Dax and fellow ghosts Scooter, Joe, Carl, and Astrid.
Slice Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
15 key events in the order they happen, from “Sean Hammerschmidt is murdered in Ghost Town” to “Explosion opens portal; final battles and aftermath”. 15 events name a place, across 7 locations.
- 1
Sean Hammerschmidt is murdered in Ghost Town
Sean Hammerschmidt is delivering to Ghost Town when an unseen killer slits his throat. The murder marks the first violent event that reveals the town's ghosts more clearly to the living. It triggers an investigation that blends supernatural elements with crime underworld ties.
Where:Ghost Town
- 2
Sadie covers the murder; press conference and protest erupt
Kingfisher Chronicle reporter Sadie Sheridan covers the murder at Mayor Tracy's press conference. The event is interrupted by Debbie from Justice 40,000, sparking a protest outside Perfect Pizza led by Vera Marcus. The protest pushes Halcyon Square demolition into the public conversation.
Where:City Hall
- 3
Detectives connect Sean to Big Cheese
Detectives Marsh and Bradley begin a formal investigation into Sean's murder. They uncover that Sean was moving drugs for the dealer Big Cheese, linking the crime to the underworld. This discovery suggests the murder has a deeper criminal context beyond a random act.
Where:Police Station
- 4
Astrid re joins Perfect Pizza crew
Astrid asks Jack to hire her back, rejoining the existing Perfect Pizza team of Scooter, Heather, and Joe (the resident ghost). Her return rekindles labor dynamics and sets the stage for joint efforts to solve Sean's murder. The staff's reluctance gives way to renewed collaboration.
Where:Perfect Pizza
- 5
Big Cheese explains the Yummy Yummy murders; Dax suspects
Astrid confronts Big Cheese, who explains that Perfect Pizza used to be Yummy Yummy Chinese and that a string of driver murders predates the current case. He identifies Dax Lycander, a werewolf who had left town, as the prime suspect. The conversation deepens the mystery and points investigators toward magical or supernatural angles.
Where:Perfect Pizza
- 6
Scooter is killed during a Ghost Town delivery; Dax spotted
During a routine delivery in Ghost Town, Scooter's throat is slit and Dax Lycander is spotted at the scene. The murder intensifies the pursuit of Dax and fuels the public's fear of a werewolf killer. Police and the living ghost community grow tense as the investigation narrows.
Where:Ghost Town
- 7
Vera and Debbie bribe Tracy; townspeople pushed toward demolition
Vera Marcus and Debbie are revealed to be colluding with Mayor Tracy, bribing him to blame the killings on ghosts. The aim is to rally public support for demolishing Halcyon Square and laying the ghosts to rest. The plan deepens the town's distrust of both ghosts and the activist group.
Where:Halcyon Square
- 8
Sadie digs into Dax and Yummy Yummy murders
Sadie visits Perfect Pizza with new research on Dax and the Yummy Yummy murders, sharing findings with Marsh and Bradley. They review old case notes, seeking connections between the past murders and the current one. The new information gives the investigation a supernatural-angle direction.
Where:Perfect Pizza
- 9
Dax flees custody; capture by the junkyard encounter
Dax Lycander is chased into a junkyard and, in a dramatic moment, saves Bradley from being crushed before being arrested. He maintains his innocence, complicating the detectives' belief he is the killer. The escape hints at a potential larger confrontation with the coven.
Where:Junkyard
- 10
Astrid learns Sean's ghost and is stabbed; becomes a ghost
Astrid rejoins Sean's ghost only to discover he remains a drug addict. She is suddenly stabbed from behind, dies, and becomes a ghost herself. This event escalates the personal stakes for Astrid and marks her entry into the spectral world.
Where:Ghost Town
Show the other 5 events of Slice Hide the last 5 events
- 11
Dax escapes; coven of witches revealed
Dax escapes police custody, while Sadie uncovers that Vera's group are witches. Heather is inducted as the newest member of the coven. The revelation reframes the murders as the work of a magical faction rather than random violence.
Where:Police Station
- 12
Tracy's denial triggers witches' plan escalation
Tracy publicly declares the murders are not the work of ghosts, angering the town's ghosts and the coven. The coven intensifies their plan to access the portal and enslave an army of ghosts. The stakes rise as public sentiment shifts toward fear of the supernatural.
Where:City Hall
- 13
Sadie abducted by Dax; Sadie heads to Perfect Pizza basement
Heather sneaks into Perfect Pizza's basement, and Dax abducts Sadie to pressure her into publicizing his innocence. Sadie returns to the front with Jack and Joe, still seeking truth and safety. The basement becomes a focal point for the coven's machinations.
Where:Perfect Pizza basement
- 14
Carl reveals portal to hell; coven's plan exposed
The ghost of sanatorium janitor Carl reveals that the building sits on a portal to hell, which the coven plans to use to enslave a ghost army. The coven's identity is confirmed as witches, and Vera points the way to a climactic confrontation. The discovery pivots the story toward a supernatural showdown.
Where:Perfect Pizza basement
- 15
Explosion opens portal; final battles and aftermath
Jack detonates Perfect Pizza in a bid to stop the coven, but the blast instead opens the portal. Astrid fights the witches while Dax fights in werewolf form; Marsh shoots Vera, and Heather is arrested as the portal nears closure. In the aftermath, Sadie is promoted, and Jack reappears as a ghost, opening a new pizza place with Dax and other ghosts.
Where:Perfect Pizza
Who Are the Main Characters in Slice?
12 characters, among them Astrid (Zazie Beetz), Sean Hammerschmidt (Austin Vesely) and Dax Lycander (Chance the Rapper): who each one is and the part they play in the story. 10 of them link to the actor’s page.
-
Astrid (Zazie Beetz)
Played by Zazie Beetz
Astrid is a determined former coworker who returns to Perfect Pizza to help solve Sean's murder. She rejoins the staff and pushes to uncover the town’s darkest secrets, forming alliances with Jack and the living crew. After being stabbed, she becomes a ghost herself, joining the spectral community she once hunted.
- 🔥 Determined
- 🧠 Resourceful
- SH
Sean Hammerschmidt (Austin Vesely)
Played by Austin Vesely
Sean is a delivery driver for Perfect Pizza who is murdered during a delivery to Ghost Town, triggering the investigation. He was involved in drug running for Big Cheese, which complicates the case and ties the crime to the town’s underworld. His death catalyzes the pursuit of truth by Sadie, Astrid, and the detectives.
- 💔 Tragic
- 🕵️ Catalyst
- DL
Dax Lycander (Chance the Rapper)
Played by Chance the Rapper
Dax is a werewolf and drug dealer whose activities make him the prime suspect in Sean's murder. He maintains his innocence, is arrested, escapes custody, and becomes entangled with Sadie and the coven’s plans, playing a pivotal role in the supernatural showdown.
- 🐺 Werewolf
- 🧩 Suspect
- D(
Debbie (Kelli Simpkins)
Played by Kelli Simpkins
Debbie is a member of Justice 40, the activist group. She is revealed to be part of a conspiracy with Mayor Tracy and the coven, bribing the mayor to blame the murders on ghosts in order to rally support for demolishing Halcyon Square.
- 🤝 Activist
- 🗝️ Manipulated
- H(
Heather (Katherine Cunningham)
Played by Katherine Cunningham
Heather is a Perfect Pizza staff member who is drawn into the coven’s plans and inducted as its newest member. Her allegiance shifts as the coven tightens its grip on the town.
- 🧙 Coven
- 🌀 Susceptible to influence
-
Jack (Paul Scheer)
Played by Paul Scheer
Jack is the owner of Perfect Pizza who insists on keeping the business running despite staff fears. He is Astrid’s former lover and ally, and after a catastrophe becomes a ghost who helps the living and fellow spirits reopen a new pizza venture.
- 🍕 Owner
- 👻 Ghost ally
- SS
Sadie Sheridan (Rae Gray)
Played by Rae Gray
Sadie is a Chronicle reporter covering the Sean case. She uncovers the coven’s manipulation and ultimately survives attempts to silence her, earning a promotion to television anchor as the story resolves.
- 🗞️ Reporter
- 🧭 Investigator
-
Mayor Tracy (Chris Parnell)
Played by Chris Parnell
Tracy is the city's mayor who relocates the ghosts to Ghost Town to clear space for Halcyon Square’s demolition. He becomes entangled in bribery with Debbie and Vera, publicly denying ghost involvement while his fate later reveals a supernatural twist.
- 🏛️ Politician
- 💰 Corruption
-
Big Cheese (Y'lan Noel)
Played by Y'lan Noel
Big Cheese is a local drug dealer for whom Sean worked. His involvement links the murder to the town’s underworld and the broader corruption surrounding Halcyon Square.
- 🧪 Drug lord
- 🕵️♂️ Hidden network
- J(
Joe (Lakin Valdez)
Played by Lakin Valdez
Joe is a ghost who works alongside other spectral residents at Perfect Pizza and aids the living. He remains a steady ally within the ghostly community as events unfold.
- 👻 Ghost
- 🤝 Ally
- DM
Detective Marsh
Detective Marsh teams with Bradley to investigate Sean’s murder, skeptical of supernatural explanations and focused on conventional forensics and motive. He confronts the complexities of a case that spans living and spectral realms.
- 🕵️ Detective
- 🧭 Skeptical
- DB
Detective Bradley
Detective Bradley partners with Marsh to track Dax and uncover the truth behind the killings. He balances professional duty with the escalating tension between the living and ghosts and the coven’s manipulations.
- 🕵️ Detective
- 🧭 Persistent
Where and When Is Slice Set?
Slice is set in Kingfisher, Ghost Town, Halcyon Square, Perfect Pizza and Sanatorium (Present day). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
Present day
The action unfolds in the present day, in a town where ghosts mingle with the living and political and criminal forces collide. The narrative threads contemporary concerns—media, activism, and urban development—with supernatural threats rooted in the sanatorium's history. The timeline centers on the murder of Sean Hammerschmidt and the ensuing investigation.
Where
Kingfisher, Ghost Town, Halcyon Square, Perfect Pizza, Sanatorium
Kingfisher, U.S.A. is a city where 40,000 ghosts from a former sanatorium live and work alongside the living. After Mayor Tracy relocates the spectral population to Ghost Town, the town becomes a battleground over memory, land, and rest for the dead. Halcyon Square sits atop a mass grave and Perfect Pizza's basement is tied to a portal to hell that escalates the conflict.
- 👻 Spectral inhabitants
- 🏛️ Politics
- 🗺️ Haunted landscape
What Are the Themes of Slice?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Hauntings, Investigation and Power & Corruption.
-
01
Hauntings
The film uses ghosts to examine unresolved trauma, memory, and the right to rest. The spectral population reflects the town’s dark history and the ways the living attempt to exploit or appease the dead. The hauntings challenge the community to confront past abuses rather than neglect them.
-
02
Investigation
A murder investigation unravels layers of deceit, corruption, and hidden motives. Detectives, journalists, and residents piece together how drug networks, political favors, and witchcraft intersect with the crime. Truth emerges from a web of personal vendettas and supernatural interference.
-
03
Power & Corruption
Officials, activists, and coven members manipulate public opinion to advance development and control the dead. The town exposes how money, politics, and fear can weaponize grief. The climactic struggle pits communal justice against corrupt leadership and occult schemes.
What Kind of Film Is Slice?
Dark in tone, with fast pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Dark
- Pacing
- Fast
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Mixed
A chaotic and darkly comedic supernatural mystery that blends horror and crime with absurdity, creating a fast-paced and suspenseful ride through a town unraveling from hidden magical conspiracies.
- suspenseful
- absurd
- chaotic
- supernatural
- darkly comedic
- paranoid
- supernatural investigation
- small town corruption
- hidden conspiracy
- magical creatures
Content notes: murder, dismemberment, graphic violence, supernatural horror, addiction.
Quiz
How well do you remember Slice? Test yourself on the story.
